by Ernest Thompson Seton

FIFTY COMMON FOREST TREES OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA

White Pine, or Weymouth Pine (Pines Strobes)

A noble evergreen tree, up to 175 feet high. The lumberman s prize. Its
leaves are in bunches of 5, and are 3 to 5 inches long; cones 4 to 8 inches
long. Wood pale, soft, straight-grained, easily split. Warps and checks less than
any other of our timbers. A cubic foot weighs 24 lbs. (a cubic foot of water weighs 63
lbs.). Minnesota and Manitoba to Nova Scotia and Pennsylvania.

A fine tree, up to 100 feet high; evergreen; found in great forests in the
Southern States; it supplies much of our lumber now; and most of our turpentine,
tar, and rosin. Wood strong and hard, a cubic foot weighs 44 lbs. Its leaves are
10 to 16 inches long, and are in bunches of 3's; cones, 6 to 10 inches long. Range,
Virginia to Louisiana and Florida.

Tamarack, Larch, or Hackmatack
(Larix laricina)

A tall, straight tree of the northern swamps yet often found flourishing on
dry hillsides. One of the few conifers that shed all their leaves each fall.
Leaves 1/2 to 1 inch long; cones 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Wood very resinous, heavy, and
hard, "a hard, softwood" very durable as posts. In Manitoba I have
seen tamarack fence posts unchanged after twenty years' wear. It is excellent
for firewood, and makes good sticks for a rubbing-stick
fire. A cubic foot
weighs 39 lbs. Found north nearly to the limit of trees; south to northern New
Jersey and Minnesota.

White Spruce
(Picea Canadensis)

Evergreen; 60 to 70 or even 150 feet high. Leaves 1/2 to 1/4 inch long; cones
1 1/2 to 2 inches long, are at the tips of the branches and
deciduous; the twigs smooth. Wood white, light, soft, weak, straight-grained, not
durable; a cubic foot weighs 25 lbs. Its roots afford the wattap or cordage for
canoe-building and camp use generally. North to the limit
of trees east of Rockies, south to Dakota, Wisconsin, and Maine.

Hemlock
(Tsuga Canadensis)

Evergreen; 60 to 70 feet high; occasionally 100; wood pale, soft, coarse,
splintery, not durable. A cubic foot weighs 26 lbs. Bark full of tannin. Leaves
1/2 to 3/4 inch long; cones about the same. Its knots are so hard that they quickly
turn the edge of an axe or gap it as a stone might; these are probably the hardest vegetable growth in our woods. Wisconsin to Nova Scotia and south
on the mountains to Georgia.

Balsam Tree, or Canada Balsam
(Abies balsamea)

Evergreen; famous for the blisters on its trunk, yielding Canada balsam which
makes a woodman's plaster for cuts or a waterproof cement; and for the exquisite odor of its boughs, which also
supply the woodman's ideal bed. Its flat leafage is distinctive. Wood pale,
weak, soft, perishable. A cubic foot weighs 24 lbs. New Alberta to Newfoundland
and south to Virginia.

Bald Cypress
(Taxodium distichum)

A fine forest tree, up to 150 feet, with thin leaves somewhat like those of
Hemlock, half an inch to an inch long; cones rounded about an inch through.
Sheds its leaves each fall so is "bald" in winter. Noted for the knees
or up-bent roots that it develops when growing in water. Timber soft, weak, but
durable and valuable; a cubic foot weighs 27 lbs. In low wet country of
Mississippi Valley and Southeast coast.

Arbor-vitae, or White Cedar
(Thuya occideutalis)

Evergreen; 50 to 60 feet high. Wood soft; brittle, coarse-grained, extremely
durable as posts; fragrant and very light (the lightest on our list). Makes good sticks for
rubbing-stick fire. A cubic foot
weighs only 20 lbs. The scale-like leaves are about 6 to 8 to the inch, the cones half an inch long or less. Manitoba to Nova
Scotia, and Pennsylvania; south on mountains to North Carolina.

A small forest tree, but occasionally 100 feet high. Readily known by its
smooth bark, of a light green or whitish color. The wood is pale, soft,
close-grained, weak, perishable, and light: A cubic foot weighs 25 lbs. Good
only for paper pulp, but burns well when seasoned. When green it is so heavy and
soggy that it lasts for days as a fire check or back-log. Leaves 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.
Canada and Northern States.

Black Willow
(Salix nigra)

The common Willow of stream-banks, usually 20 to 40 feet high, sometimes 100.
Bark nearly black. Its long, narrow, yellow-green shining leaves are sufficiently distinctive. A decoction of
Willow bark and roots is said to be the best known substitute for quinine. Noted
for early leafing and late shedding; leaves 3 to 6 inches long. Wood pale, weak,
soft, close-grained; a cubic foot weighs 28 lbs. Manitoba to Nova Scotia and
south to Gulf.

Balsam Poplar, Balm of Gilead, or Tacamahac
(Populus balsamifeya)

Fifty or 60 feet ordinarily, but sometimes 100 feet high. Bark rough and
furrowed. The great sine of the buds and their thick shiny coat of fragrant gum are strong marks. Wood much as in the
preceding, but weighs 23 lbs. a cubic foot. Leaves 3 to 6 inches long. Canada
and Northern States.

Cottonwood(Populus deltoides)

Small and rare in the Northeast. Abundant and large in West; even 150 feet
high. Wood as in other poplars but weighs 24 lbs. a cubic foot. Leaves 3 to 5
inches long. Maine to Georgia and west to Alberta.

Black Walnut
(Juglans nigra)

A magnificent forest tree up to 150 feet high; usually much smaller in the
East. Wood a dark purplish brown or gray; hard, close-grained; strong; very
durable in weather or ground work, and heavy. A cubic foot weighs 38 lbs. Leaflets 13 to 23; and 3 to 5
inches long. Fruit nearly round, 1 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. Massachusetts to
Minnesota and south to Mississippi.

White Walnut, Oil Nut, or Butternut
(Juglans cinerea)

Much smaller than the last, rarely 100 feet high; with much smoother bark and
larger, coarser, compound leaves, of fewer leaflets but the petioles or leaflet
stalks, and the new twigs, are covered with sticky down.

The wood is light brown, soft, coarse, not strong but very enduring in
weather and ground work; light; leaves 15 to 30 inches long; leaflets 11 to 19 in
number and 3 to 5 inches long; fruit oblong, 2 to 3 inches long. Nova Scotia to
Minnesota and south to Mississippi.

Pecan
(Hicoria Pecan)

A tall slender forest tree in low moist soil along streams, up to 170 feet in
height: famous for its delicious nuts, they are smooth and thin shelled; fruit,
oblong, cylindrical, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long. Its leaves are smooth when mature;
leaflets 11 to 15, and 4 to 7 inches long; wood hard and brittle, a cubic foot
weighs 45 lbs. Central Mississippi Valley.

Shagbark, Shellbark, or White Hickory
(Hicoria ovata)

A tall forest tree up to 120 feet high. Known at once by the great angular
slabs of bark hanging partly detached from its main trunk, forced off by the growth of wood, but too tough to fall.
Its leaves are 8 to 14 inches long, with 5 to 7 broad leaflets. The wood is very
light in color, close-grained, tough, and elastic. It makes an excellent
bow; is
the best of fuel. A cubic foot weighs 52 lbs. Dakota to Maine and south to
Mississippi.

Mockernut, White Heart, or Big-Bud Hickory
(Hicoria alba)

A tall forest tree, up to 100 feet. Wood much like that of Shagbark, but not
quite so heavy (51 lbs.). Its bark is smooth and furrowed like that of the Pignut. Its leaves are like those of the
Shagbark, but it has 7 to 9 leaflets, instead of 5 to 7; it has a large terminal
bud 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long, and the leaves have a resinous smell. Its nut in the
husk is nearly 2 inches long; the nut shell is 4-ridged toward the point, has a
very thick shell, and small, sweet kernel. Maine to Oklahoma and Florida.

Pignut Hickory
(Hicoria glabra)

A tall forest tree; 100 and up to 120 feet high. Wood much as in the
Mockernut; bark smooth and furrowed; not loose plates. Leaves 8 to 12 inches long. Nut slightly or not at all angular, very
thick shelled; the pear shape of fruit is a strong feature, 11/4 to 2 inches long. Maine to Nebraska and south to the Gulf.

Gray Birch, or Aspen-Leaved Birch
(Betula populifolia)

A small tree found on dry and poor soil; rarely 50 feet high. Wood soft,
close-grained, not strong, splits in drying, useless for weather or ground work. A cubic foot weighs 36 lbs. Leaves
2 to 3 inches
long. It has a black triangular scar at each armpit. Quebec south to Maryland.

White, Canoe, or Paper Birch
(Betula papyrifera)

A tall forest tree up to 80 feet high; the source of bark for canoes, etc.
One of the most important trees in the northern forest. Besides canoes, wigwams, vessels, and paper from its bark, it
furnishes syrup from its sap and the inner bark is used as an emergency food.
Every novice rediscovers for himself that the outer bark is highly inflammable
as well as waterproof, and ideal for fire--lighting. Though so much like the Gray
Birch, it is larger, whiter, and with but small black scars at each limb. The
timber is much the same, but this weighs 37 lbs. Its leaf and catkin distinguish
it; the former is 2 to 3 inches long. All Canada and south to Illinois.

Yellow Birch, or Gray Birch
(Betula lutea)

A forest tree, of 30 to 50 feet in height. Bark obviously birch, but shaggy
and gray or dull yellow. Wood as in the others, but reddish. A cubic foot weighs 41 lbs. Leaves 3 to
4 inches long. Minnesota to
Newfoundland and south to Virginia.

A small tree; 20 to 30, rarely 50, feet high; named for its hardness and its
hop-like fruit. Bark furrowed. Wood tough, close-grained, unsplitable. One of the
strongest, heaviest, and hardest of timbers. A cubic foot weighs over 51 lbs.
That is, it comes near to Shagbark Hickory in weight and perhaps goes beyond it
in strength and hardness. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long. Fruit 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long. Dakota, to
Nova Scotia and south to Gulf.

Blue Beech, Water Beech, or American Hornbeam
(Carpinus Caroliniana)

A small tree, 10 to 25, rarely 40, feet high; bark smooth. Wood hard,
close-grained, very strong; much like Ironwood, but lighter. A cubic foot weighs 45 lbs. Leaves 3 to 4 inches long. United
States east of Missouri River.

White Oak
(Quercus alba)

A grand forest tree; over 100 feet up to 150 feet high. The finest and most
valuable of our oaks. The one perfect timber for shipbuilders, farmers, and house furnishers. Its wood is pale, strong,
tough, fine-grained, durable, and heavy. A cubic foot weighs 46 lbs. I found
that when green it weighed 68 lbs. to the cubic foot and of course sank in water like a
stone. Called white
from pale color of bark and wood. Leaves 5 to 9 inches long. Texas to Minnesota
and easterly.

A great forest tree; up to 160 feet high; wood as usual, but the heaviest of
all when dry; a cubic foot weighs 54 lbs; when green, it is heavier than water, and sinks at once. It is much like the Chestnut Oak but its leaves are
narrower, more sharply saw-edged, and its acorns much smaller, about half the
size. Its acorns ripen in one season. Leaves 4 to 6 inches long. Louisiana to
Iowa and easterly to Massachusetts.

Red Oak
(Quercus rubra)

A fine forest tree, 70 to 80, or even 140, feet high. Wood reddish brown.
Sapwood darker. Hard, strong, coarse-grained, heavy. A cubic foot weighs 41 lbs. It checks, warps, and does not stand for
weather or ground work. The acorn takes two seasons to ripen. Apparently all
those oaks whose nuts take two seasons to ripen have wood that soon rots. The
low, flat shape of the cup is distinctive; in fact, it has no cup, it has a
saucer; leaves 4 to 8 inches long. Missouri to Minnesota and east to Atlantic.

Scarlet Oak
(Quercus coccinea)

Seventy to 80 or even 100 feet high. Scarlet from its spring and autumn
foliage color. The leaves are a little like those of the Black Oak, but are
frond-like with three or four deep, nearly even, cuts on each side. The acorns of
this can be easily matched among those of the Black Oak, but the kernel of the
Scarlet is white, that of the Black is yellow; they take two seasons to ripen.
Wood much as in Red Oak but weighs 46 Ibs. per cubic foot. Leaves 4 to 8 inches long. Massachusetts to Georgia and Iowa.

Black Oak, Golden Oak, or Quercitron
(Quercus velutina)

Seventy to 80 or even 150 feet high. The outer bark is very rough, bumpy, and
blackish; inner bark yellow. This yields a yellow dye called quercitron. The leaf is of the Scarlet Oak style, but has
uneven cuts and usually a large solid area in the outer half. The wood is hard,
coarse--grained, checks, and does not stand for weather or ground work. A cubic foot weighs 44 lbs.
Wisconsin to Maine and south to Gulf.

Pin Oak, or Swamp Oak
(Quercus palustris)

Fifty to 70 or even 120 feet high, in swampy land. Wood hard,
coarse-grained, very strong and tough. Will not stand exposure next to
ground. A cubic foot
weighs 34 lbs. Its acorns take two seasons to ripen. Leaves 4 to 6 inches long.
In moist
woods and along swamp edges. Massachusetts to Iowa and Arkansas.

Beech
(Fagus grandifolia)

In all North America there is but one species of Beech. It is a noble forest
tree, 70 to 80, and occasionally 120 feet high; readily distinguished by its
unfurrowed ashy gray bark. Wood hard, strong, tough, close-grained, pale, heavy.
Leaves 3 to 4 inches long. A cubic foot weighs 43 lbs. Wisconsin to Nova Scotia
and south to Gulf.

Chestnut
(Castanea dentata)

A noble tree, 60 to 80 or even 100 feet high. A cubic foot of the wood weighs
28 lbs. Leaves 6 to 8 inches long. Massachusetts to Indiana and Mississippi.

Smaller than White Elm, maximum height about 70 feet. Wood dark, reddish,
hard, close, tough, strong; durable next the ground; heavy; a cubic foot weighs 43 lbs. Its leaves are larger and
rougher than those of the former. Four to 8 inches long, and its buds are hairy,
not smooth. Maine to Minnesota and south to Gulf.

Osage Orange, Bodarc (Bois D'arc), or Bow-Wood
(Toxylon pomiferum)

A small tree, rarely 60 feet high. Originally from the middle Mississippi
Valley, now widely introduced as a hedge tree. Famous for supplying the best bows in America east of the Rockies. Wood is
bright orange; very hard, elastic, enduring and heavy. Leaves 3 to 6 inches
long. A cubic foot weighs 48 lbs.

Tulip Tree & Sassafras

One of the noblest forest trees, ordinarily 100 feet, and sometimes 150 feet,
high. Noted for its splendid, clean, straight column; readily known by leaf, 3
to 6 inches long, and its tulip-like flower. Wood soft, straight-grained, brittle,
yellow, and very light; much used where a broad sheet easily worked is needed
but will not stand exposure to the weather; is poor fuel; a dry cubic foot
weighs 26 lbs. Mississippi to Atlantic, Lake Ontario to Gulf.

Sassafras, or Ague Tree
(Sassafras sassafras)

Tulip Tree & Sassafras

Usually a small tree of dry sandy soil, but reaching 125 feet high in
favorable regions. Its wood is dull orange, soft, weak, coarse, brittle, and
light. A cubic foot weighs 31 lbs. Very durable next the ground. Leaves 4 to 7
inches long. Maine to Iowa and Texas to Atlantic.

A tall tree up to 150 feet high of low, moist woods, remarkable for the corky
ridges on its bark, and the unsplitable nature of its weak, warping, perishable timber.
Heart-wood reddish brown, sap white;
heavy, weighing 37 lbs. to cubic foot. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long. Massachusetts
to Missouri and south to Gulf:

Sycamore, & Red Bud

One of the largest of our trees; up to 140 feet high; commonly hollow. Wood
light brownish, weak; hard to split; heavy for its strength. A cubic foot weighs 35 lbs. Little use for weather work.
Famous for shedding its bark as well as its leaves. Leaves 4 to 9 inches long.
Canada to the Gulf.

Red-bud, or Judas Tree
(Cercis Canadensis)

Sycamore, & Red Bud

Small tree of bottom lands, rarely 50 feet high; so called from its abundant
spring crop of tiny rosy blossoms, coming before the leaves, the latter 2 to 6
inches broad. " Judas tree" because it blushed when Judas hanged
himself on it (Keeler). Its wood is dark, coarse, and heavy. A cubic foot weighs 40 lbs. Maryland to Iowa and southward.

Sugar Maple, Rock Maple, or Hard Maple
(Acer saccharum)

A large, splendid forest tree, 80 to 120 feet high; red in autumn. Wood hard,
strong, tough, and heavy but not durable. A cubic foot weighs 43 lbs. It enjoys with Beech, Hickory, etc., the sad
distinction of being a perfect firewood. Thanks to this it has been exterminated
in some regions.

Bird's-eye and curled Maple are freaks of the grain. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long. Its sap produces the famous maple sugar.
Manitoba to Nova Scotia and south to Gulf.

Silver Maple, White, or Soft Maple
(Aces saccharinum)

Usually a little smaller than the Sugar Maple and much inferior as timber.
Wood hard, close-grained. A cubic foot weighs 33 lbs. Leaves 5 to 7 inches long. This tree produces a little sugar.
It is noted for its yellow foliage in autumn. Nova Scotia to Minnesota and south to Oklahoma and Georgia.

Red, Scarlet, Water, or Swamp Maple
(Acer rubrum)

A fine tree the same size as the preceding. Noted for its gaming crimson
foliage in fall, as well as its red leaf-stalks, flowers, and fruit earlier. Its
wood is light-colored, tinged reddish, close-grained, smooth with varieties of
grain, as in Sugar Maple; heavy. A cubic foot weighs 39 lbs. Leaves 2 to 6
inches long. Quebec to Minnesota and south to Gulf.

Box Elder, or Ash-Leaved Maple
(Acer Negundo)

A small trees 40 to 50 up to 70 feet high, found chiefly along streams.
Wood pale, soft, close-grained, light. A Cubic foot weighs 27 lbs. Poor fuel. Makes
paper-pulp. Leaflets 2 to 4 inches long.
Massachusetts to British Columbia south to Mexico and Alabama.

The hollow trunk, split in halves, was often used for roofing. Poor firewood,
and soon rots, makes good rubbing-sticks for friction
fire. Its inner bark
supplies coarse cordage and matting. Its buds are often eaten as emergency food.
Leaves 2 to 5 inches wide. Manitoba to Nova Scotia and south to Texas.

Sour Gum, Black Gum, Pepperidge, or Tupelo
(Nyssa sylvatica)

A forest tree up to 110 feet high; in wet lands. Wood pale, very strong,
tough, unsplitable, and heavy. A cubic foot weighs 40 lbs. Used for turner work, but soon rots next the ground. Leaves
2 to 5 inches long. Massachusetts to Wisconsin and south to Gulf.

White Ash
(Fraxinus Americana)

A fine forest tree on moist soil; 70 to 90 or even 130 feet high. Wood pale
brown, tough, and elastic. Used for handles, springs, bows, also arrows and spears; heavy. A cubic foot weighs
41 lbs.
Soon rots next the ground. Called white for the silvery under sides of the leaves; these are 8 to
12 inches long; each
leaflet 3 to 5 inches long. Mississippi Valley and east to Atlantic.

Black Ash, Hoop Ash, or Water Ash
(Fraxinus nigra)

A tall forest tree of swampy places; 70, 80, or rarely 100 feet high. Wood
dark brown, tough, soft, coarse, heavy. A cubic foot weighs 39 lbs. Soon rots next to the ground. Late in the spring to leaf,
and early to shed in the fall. The leaves are is to 16 inches long; its
leaflets, except the last, have no stalk, they number 7 to 11, are 2 to 6
inches long. Nova Scotia to Manitoba and south to Virginia.

Books Recommended

TREES OF THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES, Austin C. Apgar. American
Book Co.

THE FORESTER'S MANUAL, or Forest trees of Eastern North America, a fully
illustrated Manual with map showing range of each species. By Ernest Thompson
Seton, published by Doubleday, Page & Co.

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